Monday, 30 April 2018

Harpic Partners Lagos To Commemorate World Toilet Day

By Chioma Umeha

Following growing incidence of water-borne
diseases, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio, leading toilet cleaning brand,
Harpic took a sensitisation programme on the treatment and proper disposal of
sewage or wastewater to Ojodu Berger, a Lagos suburb to mark this year’s World
Toilet Day (WTD).

Due to lack of safe water, poor sanitation
and hygiene, 842,000 people die yearly, some experts said during the
sensitisation programme.

According to them, 1.8 billion people use
source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of
contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.

The event was organised by Harpic, one of
the country’s leading toilet cleaning brand from Reckitt Benckiser in health,
hygiene and home care products in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of
Environment to mark this year’s WTD.

The experts said that wastewater is roughly
composed of 99 per cent water and one per cent suspended, colloidal and
dissolved solids.

According to the
statistics by World Health Organisation (WHO), today, 4.5 billion people live
without a household toilet that safely disposes of their waste.

The United Nations health
body also said that approximately 315,000 children dies every year through
poor sanitation and unsafe water caused by Diarrhoea.

“In addition, a large
number of women and children in Nigeria are exposed to the risk of contracting
infections due to lack of access to sanitation which impacts on health,
dignity, and safety,” it added.

At the sensitisation
exercise, Dr. Samuel Babatunde Adejare, the Representative of the Lagos State
Governor and Commissioner for the Environment, commissioned the renovated
public toilets at Ojodu Berger to the joy of community members, travellers and
artisans.

Speaking at the event,
the Managing Director, RB West Africa, Mr. Rahul Murgai, emphasised the
commitment of Harpic towards the World Toilet Day.

“Harpic, one of RB’s
power brands has consistently advocated the importance of having access to clean
toilets and that waste water, poor sanitation and issues like open defecation
can create potential health problems, especially among women and children who
are highly susceptible to infections and diarrhoea” he stated.

“Today is World Toilet
Day with the theme wastewater and globally, over 80 per cent of all the
wastewater from our homes, cities, industry and agriculture flows back to
nature without being treated or reused – polluting the environment, and losing
valuable nutrients and other recoverable materials.

“Due to population
growth, accelerated urbanisation and economic development, the quantity of
wastewater generated and its overall pollution effects are increasing
globally,” Adejare said.

Also speaking at the
event, Mr Abiodun Bamgboye, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the
Environment, stated; “We educate sewage management authorities on proper
disposal and recycling of wastewater as wastewater management is being
seriously neglected, and grossly undervalued as a potentially affordable and
sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials.

“It therefore needs to be
seen as a resource, rather than a burden to be disposed of. There are many
treatment processes and operational systems that will allow us to use wastewater
to meet the growing water demand in growing cities, support sustainable
agriculture, and enhance energy production and industrial development,
therefore contributing to a more sustainable, efficient and equitable water use
worldwide.

“Today, Harpic, our
regular partner is joining force with us in providing public awareness to the
community. The ministry of environment welcomes such corporate support and will
like other brands to emulate this as we celebrate the World Toilet Day.”

Mrs. Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi
Omotola, the Regional Marketing Manager, RB West Africa also spoke on the
opportunities to address potential health issues arising from poor sanitation.
The adequate attention to solid waste, waste water and also industrial
accumulated waste management can help avoid the chain of infection.

Over the years, Harpic has been providing
awareness and education to Nigerians on the importance of better hygiene
practices and improved health through prevention of open defecation.

This year’s World Toilet Day with the theme
“Waste Water” focused on the link between sanitation and proper disposal of
wastewater to draw global attention to the importance of sanitation as a job
opportunity.

The goal is to reduce open defecation and
promote better hygiene practices in the prevention of diseases such as
Diarrhoea and toilet infections, especially in women and children.

Mrs. Chioma Adanma Umeha is a journalist of over two decades experience. At the moment, she is the Health Editor of Newswatch Times, Lagos, Nigeria.
A graduate of Mass Communications from Anambra State University, Enugu, she also holds a Masters Degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies from the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos.

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About Me

Mrs. Chioma Adanma Umeha is a journalist of over two decades experience. At the moment, she is the Health Editor of Newswatch Times, Lagos, Nigeria.
A graduate of Mass Communications from Anambra State University, Enugu, she also holds a Masters Degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies from the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos.